In the early days of AnandTech, especially back when it was called Anand's Hardware Tech Page (RIP Geocities), I used to have random drawings and giveaways on the site all the time. In fact, back then, the giveaways would consist of you answering a couple of questions and me calling you on the phone a little while later if you won. The prizes were simple. A motherboard, some memory, a video card. But it was a lot of fun.

We've grown quite a bit since then, and unfortunately executing a giveaway isn't as easy as me putting up some questions and making a few phone calls some time later. There are legalities and a bunch of other buzz-killing details that have to be taken care of otherwise our fun would be brought to an end.

Needless to say, it's about time that we did something about that. What I'm very proud to present you all with is the first AnandTech Giveaway in far too long. And it won't be the last.

Before Lynnfield launched Intel asked us if we'd be interested in giving away a Lynnfield system to our readers. I of course answered yes, knowing that we'd be not only redesigning the site but would also start actively giving away hardware once again. September was a ridiculous month for us as you can probably tell by what we were publishing at the time and October seemed to just happen without me even realizing it. Better late than never though :)

Intel sent the specs of two systems, one of which we could choose to give away. I picked a system provided by iBuypower, because it included an 80GB Intel X25-M SSD in addition to a 1TB HDD - exactly the sort of hybrid setup I'd recommend.

The full system specs are listed below:

iBuypower Core i7 System

Case

Chimera Inferno

CPU

Intel Core i7 870

CPU Cooler

Asetek Liquid Cooler

Motherboard

ASUS P7P55D-LE

Memory

4GB DDR3-1600

Video Card

ATI Radeon HD 4890 1GB

HDD

Intel 80GB SSD, 1TB

Optical

LG Blu-ray Reader

PSU

NZXT 800W

Media

12-in-1 Card Reader

OS

Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit

KB & Mouse

iBuypower Keyboard & Mouse

Monitor

ASUS 23.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor

IBuypower made a last minute change in the specs, downgrading the video card to a Radeon HD 4890 but including a 23" ASUS LCD monitor - a fine tradeoff in my opinion.

Intel had the following to say about the giveaway:

Intel is excited about our new Lynnfield line of processors—Core i5 and Core i7. To show how excited we are we are giving away over a dozen CyberPower and Ibuypower systems to the readers of the tech reviewers who put the products through their paces daily! Core i for the mainstream guy (and gal) is what we affectionately call it, bringing the Nehalem architecture to mainstream PC pricepoints everywhere. Our awesome etail partners below helped make this happen, hit them up when you go shopping for a system. And special thanks to CyberPower and Ibuypower for delivering the goods yet again.

Thanks to everyone who entered, the contest is over. We will announce the winner by 11/13.

Now the rules. This contest is unfortunately only available to US residents in one of the 50 states. I realize that AnandTech is an international site and I do highly value all of our readers, unfortunately extending the contest rules outside of the US is a bit more than we're able to reliably handle. That's not to say that we won't at some point in the future, we just have little experience doing such things and don't want to get burned on the first try.

Secondly, you are only allowed to enter once. Multiple entries will disqualify you.

Entries will be accepted from 11/4/09 - 11/11/09. The winner will be selected, at random, by 11/13/09. The official rules are listed below.

Good luck everyone :)

Official Rules and Regulations for AnandTech SweepstakesNo Purchase Required to Enter or Win

Upon entering any contest, sweepstakes, or promotion (a “Promotion”) offered by anandtech.com (the “Site”), a website owned and operated by AnandTech, Inc. (“AnandTech”), you must agree to the following Official Rules and Regulations (the “Rules”) as well as any additional rules governing a specific Promotion that AnandTech publishes on the Site.

BEFORE ENTERING A PROMOTION, READ THESE RULES AND THE SITE’S TERMS, CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY INFORMATION. BY ENTERING THE PROMOTION, YOU AGREE TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES AND THE SITE’S TERMS, CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY INFORMATION.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE CHANCES OF WINNING.

Eligibility. Promotions are open to entrants who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry, and a legal resident of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico). Entries are limited to individuals only who are not presently banned from AnandTech’s website or comments section; commercial enterprises and business entities are not eligible. Directors, officers, employees, contractors, and agents of AnandTech and members of their immediate families (spouses, parents, siblings, and children) are not eligible. Subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Rules and AnandTech’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters relating to a Promotion.

Entry Period. Each Promotion will contain a specific time period within which entries will be accepted (a “Promotion Period”). The Promotion Period for this Promotion shall run from 11:01 a.m. EST on November 4, 2009 to 11:59 p.m. EST on November 11, 2009. Only entries received during the Promotion Period will be accepted.

How to Enter. Each Promotion will describe an entry procedure. AnandTech is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, misdirected, technically corrupted or garbled entries, which will be disqualified, or for problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by AnandTech. All entries must be in English. Individuals are automatically entered in this Promotion by (i) signing up for AnandTech’s Comments at http://anandtech.com/CreateNewAccount.aspx and posting a reply to this post, or (ii) following Anand Shimpi on Twitter at @anandshimpi and mentioning @anandshimpi in a tweet, AND (iii) individuals must also email giveaways AT anandtech DOT com including name, AnandTech or twitter user name, complete mailing address, telephone number, and birth date.

Limits on Entry. An individual may enter a Promotion once only. The use of any automated launching or entry software or any other means that permits an entrant to automatically enter repeatedly or in excess of the entry limitations is prohibited.

Prizes. Winning a gift, prize, or other promotional item (a “Prize”) in a Promotion is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements in these Rules. Winners will be selected in a random drawing of eligible entries received during the Promotion Period. AnandTech will notify Prize winners using the contact information provided in the winning entry. Failure to claim a Prize by the time or in the manner specified in the particular Promotion will invalidate any claim to the Prize. Prizes are not transferable. The odds of winning a Prize or the Grand Prize depend on the number of entries received by AnandTech. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ALL PRIZES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ARE NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR FAIR MARKET VALUE. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANANDTECH DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE PRIZES, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. For this Promotion, one winner will be selected on November 13, 2009 and will receive iBuypower Core i7 System described above (“Grand Prize”). The Total U.S. Retail Value of the Grand Prize is $2200.00. The Grand Prize may not be substituted for cash. The Grand Prize winner will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes, fees, and surcharges associated with receipt and/or use of the Grand Prize. After the Grand Prize winner has been notified and has complied with all applicable Rules, AnandTech will post the Grand Prize winner’s name on this website.

Publicity. The winner of a Promotion agrees to allow AnandTech to use his or her name, photograph, likeness, voice, prize information, and biographical information for publicity and promotional purposes without further compensation where permitted by law.

Governing Law. These Rules and all Promotions are governed by and controlled by the laws of the State of North Carolina, without reference to the applicable choice of law provisions. All actions, proceedings or litigation relating hereto will be instituted and prosecuted solely within Wake County, North Carolina. By entering a Promotion, entrants consent to the jurisdiction of the state courts of North Carolina and the federal courts located within North Carolina with respect to any action, dispute or other matter pertaining to or arising out of that Promotion.

General Terms. Any failure by an entrant, including any prize winner, to comply with any of the Rules or the Site’s Terms, Conditions and Privacy Information may result in disqualification from the Promotion. All entries, whether they are eligible entries or ineligible entries, are the exclusive property of AnandTech. AnandTech is not responsible for any typographical errors in the Rules or in any other communication surrounding a Promotion or for any technical malfunction or error relating to the Promotion. AnandTech reserves the right to amend or interpret the Rules at any time, upon published notice to participants on its website. Promotion participants agree to release, indemnify, and hold harmless AnandTech and its directors, officers, employees and agents from any and all liability regarding the Promotion, including any injuries, losses, or damages (compensatory, direct, incidental, consequential, or otherwise) regarding the use or misuse of any Prize, any event beyond AnandTech’s control resulting in the disruption, cancellation, or postponement of the receipt of the Prize, or any typographical errors or technical malfunctions associated with the Promotion. AnandTech reserves the right to disqualify any entry that it, in its sole discretion, determines (i) to be in violation of the Rules, (ii) submitted by fraud or by tampering with the entry process, or(iii) contains inaccurate or fraudulent information. ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROMOTION IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. IN THE EVENT SUCH AN ATTEMPT OCCURS, ANANDTECH RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

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